Pharmacist, municipal official, MP (1925-1926), MP (1930-1935).
Born in Broughton Township, Northumberland County, Ontario on 29 October 1883, son of Adolphus A. Murphy and Agnes A. Gerow, he was educated at the Colborne Grammar School then taught school in Seymour Township. He came to Manitoba and attended the Manitoba College of Pharmacy. He came to Neepawa in 1911 to manage a pharmacy for the National Drug Company, which he purchased and operated on his own account the next year. In 1925, he bought land and a salt-making business from his father-in-law John McKone (1859-?) and it was subsequently reorganized as the Neepawa Salt Company.
He was a member of the Neepawa town council (1921-1923) and Mayor of Neepawa (1924-1925), and served as President of the Neepawa Board of Trade. In the 1925 federal election, he was elected as a Conservative for the Neepawa riding. Defeated in 1926, he returned to Neepawa as Mayor (1927-1928). Re-elected as an MP in 1930, he was acclaimed later that year, and defeated in 1935 and 1940. While in office he was a member of the Privy Council, Minister of the Interior (1930-1935), and Superintendent General of Indian Affairs (1930-1935). In July 1933, he attended an opening ceremony for Riding Mountain National Park.
He was married twice, first on 17 July 1919 to Lillie May “Lily” McKone (1890-?) at Neepawa and they had two children: Thomas Aldrich Howard Murphy (1921-?) and Patricia Murphy (1927-?, wife of Fred Harvie). The family lived at 252 Third Avenue, Neepawa (circa 1930). He was later married to Dorothy M. Murphy (?-?).
He died at Toronto, Ontario on 7 April 1971 and was buried in the St. James Cemetery.
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: McKone House (252 Third Avenue, Neepawa)
Birth registrations [Lillie May McKone, Thomas Aldrich Howard Murphy], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Marriage registration [Thomas Gerow Murphy, Lillian Mae McKone], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.
“Hon. T. G. Murphy has needed qualities to make good as minister, say many friends,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 August 1930, page 2.
“Home of Hon. T. G. Murphy,” Winnipeg Tribune, 9 August 1930, page 2.
1931 Canada census, Ancestry.
The Canadian Directory of Parliament, 1867-1967, edited by J. K. Johnson, Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa [Library and Archives Canada], 1968.
Obituary [Thomas Gerow Murphy], The Globe and Mail, 8 April 1971, page 45.
Heritage: A History of the Town of Neepawa and District as Told and Recorded by its People by Neepawa History Book Committee, 1983, page 127.
We thank the Library of Parliament for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 30 October 2024
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
